Alright, let's imagine a scenario where you have 28 red apples. Now, you owe your friend 41 green apples. When you combine these two numbers, you end up with -28 - 41. The negative sign in front indicates that you are in debt or owe something. So, in this case, you owe a total of 69 apples to your friend.

Another way to understand this is by thinking of a number line. Start at 0 and move to the left 28 units (representing -28). Then, from that position, move further left 41 units (representing -41). You will end up at -69, illustrating the combined debt.

Furthermore, imagine you have $28 in your pocket but then spend $41 on a toy. The result is that you are at -$13, indicating you have $13 left to pay to balance your spending.

In simple terms, when you subtract a larger number from a smaller number with the negative sign, the result will be a negative number. So, when you do -28 - 41, you get -69 because you owe more than you have.

Understanding negative numbers and subtracting them may seem tricky at first, but by visualizing real-life examples like apple debts or money owed, it becomes easier to comprehend the concept.